This Tuesday, as President Barack Obama and other world leaders addressed the United Nations on the need to tackle global warming, some entrepreneurs hoped to demonstrate their own solution. Notably, this solution allows humanity “” at least those who are sufficiently wealthy “” to completely ignore climate change. The Yes Men displayed SurvivaBalls, self-contained survival suits impervious to the ravages of global warming, on the banks of the East River:

When the planet heats up, it will be time to slip into something more comfortable – like the SurvivaBall. A self-heating, self-cooling and self-powered pod, the SurvivaBall is designed by top scientists to weather all of the effects of climate change to keep its user alive through catastrophe. Even though it makes its occupant resemble a giant tick, it’s also luxurious – “Like a gated community for one,” claims the SurvivaBall’s site. And only for the low price of $100 million!

Although the demonstrators of “Halliburton’s solution to global warming” hoped to reach the United Nations headquarters, they were detained by New York City police. However, CNN’s Jeannie Moos was able to file a report on the pranksters’ novel approach to a planet under siege [Video above].

Just as Yes Men activists were detained on Monday “when they handed their own version of the New York Post (headline: ‘We’re screwed!‘) to the paper’s conservative owner, Rupert Murdoch, the group’s founder was arrested during the roll-out of the SurvivaBall.” After all charges were dropped, Yes Men founder Andy Bichlbaum has been released.

Update: Huffington Post‘s Jason Linkins interviews Andy Bichlbaum about the New York Post action, the new Yes Men Fix the World movie, and how his group is beating the media at their own game.

Update2: I also saw photos of SurvivaBalls at the big G20 party last night, here in Pittsburgh. No partying for me, yet!

One Response to SurvivaBalls Take Manhattan — and Pittsburgh

It becomes harder and harder to satirize climate change because the daily news makes a mockery of our humor efforts.

The Yes Men are brilliant, and I think their Survivor Ball production should go to a second shift with the latest news from the UN Climate Change Science Compendium. The compendium was just released and it has devastatingly bad news for those who grok its import.

According to EE News’Greenwire (Subscription required) “Even if industrialized and developing countries follow through on their pledged emissions cuts — including President Obama’s goal of slashing U.S. emissions 80 percent by 2050 — Earth’s temperature is likely to rise 4 degrees Celsius, or more than 7 degrees Fahrenheit, by the end of this century, said Robert Corell, one of the scientists who helped judge which research should be included in the new U.N. report.”